PhD in Resilient Wireless Communications for Mission Critical Applications

Introduction

Do you want to work at the forefront of wireless communications and networking for the 6G  mission critical applications with stringent reliability and latency requirements?

Job Description

At the Advanced Networking Lab of the Center for Wireless Technology Eindhoven (CWTe)  of  the EE Department of TU/e we have several open Ph.D. positions on ultra-reliable wireless communications for mission critical applications in aerospace.

The Advanced Networking Lab is a member of CWTe which is part of the TU/e, Department of Electrical Engineering. Researchers from the groups Electromagnetic, Integrated Circuits, Signal Processing Systems, Optical Communication, and Electronic Systems, work together to address research questions across these research areas from the wireless channel through various layers of the communication stack (www.tue.nl/cwte).

The ANL is currently involved in many beyond-5G/6G R&D projects funded by the European commission and Dutch government. Our key research areas include ultra-reliable low latency communications, resource allocation, digital twins and Open RAN for 6G networks, distributed massive MIMO, flexible compute continuum for 6G RAN open architectures. A substantial part  of our research is dedicated to explore the feasibility of wireless communications to replace the existing wired avionic networks onboard aircraft. Research activities in this domain are supported through the active R&D projects RHIADA and Luchtvaart in transitie (LiT) or Aviation in Transition (in English). The laboratory facilities include fully opensource OpenRAN-compliant 5G testbed with commercial radio units (RUs) and software-defined radios, a fully shielded metal room in which the most sensitive electronics can be measured, a 28 m2 anechoic chamber (500MHz-40GHz), system integration lab where chips can be linked to other components, and a 16-channel distributed MIMO testbed (sub-6 GHz).

The Ph.D. positions, are funded by the Dutch National Growth Fund project “Aviation in Transition (LiT)” involving the Dutch aerospace industry and research organizations. In the case of avionics, the most important advantages of wireless systems are weight reduction and flexibility, resulting in less fuel consumption, ease of layout, upgradation/modification, service and maintenance. One of the aims of the project is to develop advanced technologies for wireless avionics intra-communication (WAIC). The Ph.D. positions aim to investigate different techniques to guarantee high levels of reliability in private wireless network deployments in harsh environmental conditions. The Ph.D. candidates will develop novel approaches to ensure a safe and resilient WAIC networks using cell free massive MIMO by ensuring robustness against interference, failure and attacks, along with high levels of availability, flexibility, in addition to dealing with stringent latency constraints.

It is expected that PhD candidate will develop new techniques to detect, localize, analyze and predict connectivity disruptions and attacks using but not limited to AI/ML techniques, and consequently take the necessary countermeasures. The proposed techniques will be validated using simulations and experiments.

Job Requirements

• Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Telecommunications, Applied Physics or a related topic, with excellent grades (first class honors or equivalent).
• Excellent background in wireless and mobile communications including understanding of wireless propagation, network architectures and cell-free MIMO techhniques.
• Interest in combining theory, simulations and experiments and well-developed analytic skills.
• Experience in using state of the art software and hardware (Open-air interface/srsRAN or similar tools, NS3, software defined radios, etc.) is appreciated.
• Have a creative and critical thinking attitude, an intrinsic motivation and an ability to cooperate with internal and external partners.
• Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).

Conditions of Employment

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you: 

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. You will spend a minimum of 10% of your four-year employment on teaching tasks, with a maximum of 15% per year of your employment. 
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. € 3,059 - max. € 3,881).  
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%. 
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process. 
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.  
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs. 
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates. 

About us

Eindhoven University of Technology is a leading international university within the Brainport region where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

The mission of the Department of Electrical Engineering is to acquire, share and transfer knowledge and understanding in the whole field of Electrical Engineering through education, research and valorization. We work towards a ‘Smart Sustainable Society’, a ‘Connected World’, and a healthy humanity (‘Care & Cure’). Activities share an application-oriented character, a high degree of complexity and a large synergy between multiple facets of the field.

Research is carried out into the applications of electromagnetic phenomena in all forms of energy conversion, telecommunication and electrical signal processing. Existing and new electrical components and systems are analyzed, designed and built. The Electrical Engineering department takes its inspiration from contacts with high-tech industry in the direct surrounding region and beyond.

The department is innovative and has international ambitions and partnerships. The result is a challenging and inspiring setting in which socially relevant issues are addressed.

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring managers Prof. George Exarchakos (G.exarchakos@tue.nl) and/or Prof. Kishor Joshi (k.c.joshi@tue.nl).

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment. You can also contact HR Services (hrservices.ee@tue.nl).

Curious to hear more about what it’s like as a PhD candidate at TU/e? Please view the video.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references. Kindly note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the recruitment process. We recommend notifying your references upon submitting your application.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.